Happy New Years!

Winter time action!

I hope you have a great New Years Eve today and are back modeling what you love best in 2023. I have a few projects that I need to pull out to start off the new year tomorrow...George Dutka

Merry Christmas!

My version of a Maine narrow gauge milk car. A converted Bachman baggage car. Looks cold out there.

All the best to you over the holiday season. I am working on some scans and modeling photos for you to view next year. Not sure what my next narrow gauge project will be but I should get something done before the April Ontario Narrow Gauge Show...George Dutka

WW&F - 1930

Albion, Maine 1930.

This photo is matted and with a magnet on the back is attached to my filing cabinet next to my workbench. It is a favorite of mine...not sure why. There is not a lot of information on the back other than it is Albion, Maine 1930...George Dutka

Pulling Up to the Freigut House

A view I recently took of the local pulling up to the freight shed. I scratch built this structure a few years back and it won first place at two different events. An area NMRA contest and area Narrow Gauge Meet...George Dutka  

BarMills Kit

All the scenery is in place over the cardboard buildup of the structure area.

One of the other areas I showed views of that was under construction was at the store on my On30" module. Here are a few views taken recently...George Dutka  

An engine pulls up beside the store...maybe a quick stop for the crew to load up?

Ramp - A Second Look

I had a third view of the scene that I thought I would share with you...George Dutkab

Loading Platform

A close-up view of the ramp. I like adding as many details as possible to the scene. I feel it helps bring the area to life.

I showed you awhile back a few views of the loading platform being constructed on my On30" module. Here are a couple of views that I took a few weeks back of the scene as it looks today...George Dutka

An overall view of the scene. Normally I have a truck parked next to the ramp on the roadway but I thought I best move it so you can get a better look at the scene.

WW&F No. 6

WW&F engine no. 6 in 1934 is seen beginning to be covered by snow at Wiscasset, Maine. Its working days are now over. Note the bell has been removed at this point. George Melvin collection.

This view is also from the George Melvin collection. I gave you the data above found on the rear of the photo...George Dutka 

Top of the grade!

The Notch or the top of the grade on the B&SR during 1895. That is engine #2 heading the train. George Melvin collection. Information from back of photo.

Another view from the George Melvin collection that I have on file. I spent an hour doing some family photo scans the other day and decided to include a few railroad prints into the mix. Still have a few more to share with you...George Dutka  

Engine House Fire

The fire at the Philips engine house in 1923. One can see the smoke as the fire is not totally out yet. That is engine #6 on the right and #17 next to it in the engine house. George Melvin collection. Information was taken from back of the print.

A photo from the George Melvin collection that I purchased at an RPM meet a few years back. Sorry about the lack of posts as not a lot of modeling has been happening the last 8-9 months. We have a lot of family health issue we are dealing with that don't seem to end. Will post as I find the time and when I have content that might be of interest...cheers...George Dutka

A base for my store!

A look at another area that I took photos of when working on the module a few years back. I built up an area using cardboard on the sides and a Gatorfoam base prior to the plaster cloth application. I then could place my BarMills structure up close to the layout's edge. The foreground is built up so extra details can be set in place...George Dutka

Test fitting the structure is always a good thing.

On30" Loading Ramp scene!

The road is shaped out of cardboard prior to more plaster cloth being applied back in 2014.

Here we have two views of my loading ramp scene coming together a few years back. All is done with cardboard and plaster cloth...will have to take some photos of the finished scene once again...George Dutka

The rough contour is now in place before the roadway is added. It will not be long before the scenery can begin.

Lazy Susan

My dollar garage sale find, a lazy susan is seen in this drone style view.

Here is an overall look at my lazy susan which is coloring using acrylic paints followed by a couple coats of marine varnish. It has worked really well to display water scenes at shows and railroad meets...George Dutka

Happy Canada Day!

A look at a little scene I setup on a Lazy-Susan that I painted as a water scene to use at shows for displaying my models....George Dutka 

Ramp being installed

The ramp is actually a S scale model built by Doug Rochefort. The cardboard is for the roadway alongside.

 Digging through my photos the other day and came up with a few views of my module being upgraded. Here they are two views of my ramp being installed on my On30" module about 8 years ago....George Dutka

The cardboard and area around the ramp is covered with Woodland Scenic plaster cloth. Lou Sassi's goop formula was then applied. followed by some earth colored paint. I will take a photo of how it looks today shortly.

What's in the Box!

 

Here is a view of what came in my Sandy River Car Shops boxcar kit. Plans, parts and the basic frame already assembled. Now to find time to continue the project. This actually is a SR&RL dairy products car...George Dutka

Spring Update

Two of the On2 kits I picked up a few years back second hand that need to be built...maybe I will look at them again this coming winter. I also have a part built flat car to finish.

There has been a lot going on in my life this year, none of it modeling related. We have had a lot of health issues in our family which needs all my attention so I have not been able to do any modeling since early in January. My posts probably reflect that point as when I have time I search my photo files for material to post. I have a good amount of prototype photos to scan once I get back at that but that may not happen till later this summer or fall. 

Although the contents of this blog will be thin for a bit I will keep posts coming as best I can...George Dutka

Wordless Wednesday No. 153

 

   

Wordless Wednesday No. 152

 

  

Tank Car on the turntable

The only reason for the tank car partly on the turntable is the yard is full at the moment and the hose to the storage tank will still reach to this location. You can see the end of the storage tank in the right end of the photo...George Dutka   

W&Q Ry. Yard

 

A view I took recently of the equipment in the W&Q Ry. yard near the turntable and water tank...George Dutka 

BarMills - Hinkle's Packing

A couple of views of a BarMills kit that has been on my module for a long time now. It has had some revisions to the roofing over the past few years. It is more of a rusty metal look applied on a silver-gray base...George Dutka

A visit by a friend - 2016

A view of my On30" diorama taken by my friend Terry during April 2016

My friend Terry Nixon stopped by for a layout visit and to see my On30" diorama. Terry is an O scale modeler. Here are some photos that he took that day...George Dutka 

The caboose appears full of paid passengers but pushed out of the way onto the turntable for a moment prior to departure.

Wordless Wednesday No. 151

 

 

A spin on the turntable

Another view of the turntable diorama. It is time for a spin on my small turntable diorama. More on this was in the Dec. 2021 RMC Craftsman Workshop...George Dutka 

Wordless Wednesday No. 150

 

 

Wordless Wednesday No. 149

 

 

HOn30" - Boxcars

A group of HOn30' boxcars that I scratch-built using whatever I could find available to me in the early 1980's I pulled these cars out of the box they have been in for years awhile back. They require some updates and repairs...George Dutka

Forney in the Snow

Another look at my wintertime diorama. I think it works well for O scale equipment...George Dutka

 

Wintertime Diorama

My On30" Bachmann Forney is set into the winter scene. The trees are all from the dollar store used in Christmas displays. I purchased a package of large (two in the pack) and small (8 in a package) trees.

Here we have another look at my wintertime diorama. It is one foot square and originally built for my HO scale equipment and structures. I found it worked well for displaying On30" equipment too as the tracks are actually hidden in the snow...George Dutka 

An overall view of the scene. I added a bit of a wooden fence from another project and some late fall long static grass.

I also purchased a package of Christmas snow from the dollar store which is a kind of batten with a bit of sparkle to it. It works really well on the diorama.

Postcard!

 

Philips, Maine